Cyclone Gabrielle: Majority of uncontactable people facing charges, police say

Monday, 27 February 2023

USAR search properties in the Esk Valley after Cyclone Gabrielle. Video first published February 19 2023.

The number of people who remain uncontactable following Cyclone Gabrielle is now five, three of whom are facing charges, according to police.

The number of uncontactables has increased from four on Monday morning after police received another missing report later on Monday, which was “in the early stages of being assessed”.

Eastern District Commander Superintendent Jeanette Park said of the four other individuals, police “did not have serious concerns for their welfare”.

“Police believe there may be a reluctance for these individuals to engage, however our enquiries continue.”

* Post-cyclone harvest begins at some Gisborne, Hawke's Bay vineyards

* Cyclone-hit Hawke's Bay, Gisborne and Coromandel face another deluge of heavy rain

Forestry slash litters a bridge on Tiniroto Rd near Frasertown, Wairoa, after Cyclone Gabrielle lashed the area with record rainfall.

Of the four, three were on active charges and, of those, two were wanted to arrest for breaching their bail conditions prior to the cyclone, police said.

The fourth person has not resided at their listed address for several years but enquiries were also continuing.

“This has been a mammoth effort by more than 100 police staff, who worked on matching and verifying people reported as uncontactable, with those reported safe or found,” Park said.

Park said more than 70 other police officers have been searching a variety of locations since the cyclone.

In addition to these five people, police were also looking for Joseph Ahuriri, 40, of Gisborne, who was previously reported as uncontactable, but was now being treated as a missing person.

“Enquiries to date suggest it is unlikely that his disappearance is cyclone-related, although this cannot be fully ruled out.”

In the 24 hours to 7pm on Sunday, Eastern District police made 25 arrests for a variety of offences - with 13 in Hawke’s Bay and 12 in Tairāwhiti.

During this period, police received 492 calls, including 10 reported burglaries, four vehicle thefts and 54 family harm incidents.

Police continue to do reassurance patrols for flood-hit communities.

Richard Lay, who set up the Facebook group HB Floods Lost Family and Friends, suspected the four people they still had listed as missing were very similar to the police list if not the same.

'What we have noticed is every time our list goes down, their list also goes down.'

The page would remain active but, in light of the small number of people still unaccounted for, was being dialled back.